AI-IoT parking system with quantum-safe transactions and communication

Abstract

A parking management system consisting of IoT occupancy sensors and ALPR cameras, edge controllers running AI models for space allocation and availability prediction, a user application for reservations and navigation, and a security gateway configured to generate quantum-safe keys to protect payment transactions and IoT communication.

Description

AREA OF INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to intelligent parking devices with integrated AI-supported space allocation, IoT sensors for real-time occupancy detection and quantum-safe cryptographic channels for payments and device communication via QKD / PQC-enabled gateways. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Urban traffic congestion and the associated search for parking spaces increase emissions and impair mobility. While AI- and IoT-based parking solutions improve parking allocation and the user experience, they reach their limits in terms of scalability, latency, and cybersecurity for transactions and device telemetry. Real-time parking systems combine sensors, automatic license plate recognition (ALPR), and reservations, while predictive analytics reduces search time through availability forecasts. However, traditional public-key encryption is vulnerable to future quantum attacks, raising concerns about long-term data and payment security. Quantum key distribution (QKD) enables physics-based key exchange with eavesdropping protection, and pilot projects for quantum-safe payments highlight its potential to protect transaction infrastructures.QKD-inspired authentication and key generation in the IoT can also better protect device integration and message transmission from interception and manipulation. A device-centric architecture that combines AI-powered parking allocation, IoT sensors, and quantum-safe key management addresses efficiency, security, and environmental goals for scalable parking solutions across multiple locations. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The invention relates to a parking management system consisting of an array of IoT occupancy sensors and ALPR cameras, edge controllers with AI models for parking space prediction and allocation, mobile user apps for reservations and navigation, and a security gateway with quantum-secure key generation for financial transactions and IoT communication. The gateway supports QKD connections (where available) or hybrid post-quantum cryptography with quantum origin keys and secures payment APIs and device telemetry with forward-secured session keys and eavesdropping protection on quantum channels. The mobile app provides real-time availability, booking functions, and route guidance, while the platform optimizes allocation to reduce travel times and emissions. The modular architecture is scalable and can be integrated into urban sustainable mobility platforms. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0004] The system comprises distributed IoT sensors at each parking space, utilizing ultrasonic, magnetic, or camera-based detectors. This data is transmitted to edge controllers, which aggregate occupancy and status metrics with low latency to make local decisions and enable fleet analytics through cloud synchronization. An AI engine, deployed both at the edge and in the cloud, forecasts short-term availability based on historical and current data, improves the accuracy of automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) under varying light and weather conditions, and calculates optimal parking space occupancy and dynamic pricing to balance utilization and wait times for users. A user app and web portal allow users to search for parking spaces, make reservations, purchase digital tickets, and receive detailed directions from arrival to their assigned parking space.Updates are displayed for parking space changes, and warnings are issued when the parking time is exceeded. APIs provide the status to third-party mobility apps. The quantum-secure gateway establishes symmetric session keys using QKD (Quantum Key Distribution), provided fiber optic or free-space connections are available. Quantum channels with eavesdropping protection are used for key distribution. The keys protect payment transactions and backhaul telemetry and are regularly rotated to minimize the risk of security breaches. In environments without QKD connections, the system operates in hybrid mode with post-quantum cryptography (PQC) for key generation and digital signatures. Optionally, quantum-based random keys are initialized by central QKD nodes to increase entropy and future-proof security against quantum attackers.Device onboarding and IoT messaging utilize QKD-inspired authentication and group keying, enabling gateways to authenticate sensors and controllers with quantum-based keys. This reduces the risk of spoofing and eavesdropping in dense urban wireless networks. Transaction flows between the app, payment processor, and operator backend are also addressed. Data transmission occurs via quantum-secured or PQC-secured channels with tamper-proof protocols and tokenization to minimize the exposure of sensitive data and comply with evolving standards for secure rail payments. The platform supports dynamic navigation assistance to reduce journey times by integrating navigation into the user app and utilizing adaptive signage.Emission reductions are achieved by shortening search and idle times, as documented in studies on AI- and IoT-enabled smart parking systems. The system is modular: locations deploy different combinations of sensors, controllers, and gateways. Quantum-safe functions can be added incrementally as the QKD infrastructure is available, while maintaining basic PQC security to ensure interoperability and a phased rollout. Operational dashboards provide live occupancy maps, forecasted demand, revenue metrics, device status, and cryptographic key status. In the event of quantum channel degradation, the system automatically switches to pure PQC modes, ensuring secure operation.

Claims

[1] A parking management system consisting of IoT occupancy sensors and ALPR cameras, edge controllers running AI models for space allocation and availability prediction, a user application for reservations and navigation, and a security gateway configured to generate quantum-safe keys to protect payment transactions and IoT communication. [2] System according to claim 1, wherein the security gateway uses quantum key distribution over fiber optic or free-space optical links to derive symmetric session keys with eavesdropping protection, rotating keys for payment APIs and device telemetry. [3] System according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a hybrid post-quantum cryptography mode is used when QKD is not available, and which provides quantum-resistant key generation and signatures for payment and device channels with optional initialization of quantum origin keys. [4] System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the AI ​​engine improves the accuracy of automatic license plate recognition and predicts the availability of parking spaces to reduce search time and emissions, wherein the mobile app enables real-time updates, reservations and navigation to the assigned indoor and outdoor parking spaces.